Douglas Kornfeld, a sculptor and educator from Cambridge , Massachusetts, designed a laser-cut steel sculpture of a tree for the courtyard of the renovated Clinton Avenue School. The artist chose to paint the sculpture one color to symbolize the unity of the differenty types of people represented in the medallions (leaves).

Kornfeld presented a two dimensional stylized form. Further calling attention to the standard signs or symbols upon which this work of art rests, Kornfeld employs the standard international symbols of male and female figures to represent people. His figures, though, have been altered to denote "types" of people and personalities. For example, some figures appear heavy, while some are thin, some are small while others are big. To try and capture psychological or emotional states, some figures have large heads, while others are minute.

Though the artist states in his proposal that the figures "celebrate diversity of the community without reference to peace, politics or religion," the title and subject of The Tree of Life is well-known in Judeo-Christian iconography, as the center of Eden, and as the connecting path between earth and heaven.